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Whole house renovation in Singapore costs between S$22,990 and S$41,590 through RCS packages for HDB flats. Package cost depends on flat size, finish tier and flooring method. Choosing vinyl overlay instead of hacking saves S$4,900 to S$9,000 on an identical whole house renovation package.
Key Takeaways
- RCS whole house packages span 24 prices, from S$22,990 to S$41,590, all-inclusive in SGD.
- Flooring method moves the total more than tier choice, by a factor of roughly four.
- BTO resale packages cost about S$6,000 less than resale packages for the same flat size.
- Hacking is a remedial method, not a quality upgrade. It is necessary in four specific situations.
- Appliances, loose furniture and temporary accommodation sit outside every package.
- RCS holds HDB Licence HB-11-5877Z and BizSafe Level 3 certification.
What a Whole House Renovation Covers in Singapore
A whole house renovation covers every room in the flat under one contract: kitchen, all bathrooms, bedrooms, living and dining areas. It bundles hacking or overlay, tiling, carpentry, plumbing, electrical works, painting and final cleaning. Homeowners choose it over room-by-room works because one contractor carries one schedule and one warranty.
The alternative fragments the job. You hire a tiler in March, a carpenter in April, an electrician in May. Each waits for the previous trade. Meanwhile, nobody owns the overall timeline, and defects fall between contractors.
Whole house packages solve the sequencing problem. However, they only make sense when you genuinely need most rooms done. Renovating one bathroom inside a whole house package wastes money.
Who Typically Books a Whole House Package?
Three groups dominate RCS whole house bookings: resale flat buyers, BTO owners collecting keys, and owners preparing to sell after MOP. Resale buyers arrive first, because older units need rewiring, replumbing and full stripping. Their scope is widest, and their package price sits highest.
BTO owners form the second group. Their flats arrive with sound base finishes, so demolition is minimal. Consequently, they usually qualify for BTO resale packages, which start S$6,000 lower.
Sellers form the third group. For that scenario the arithmetic differs sharply, because you must recover the spend in the sale price. Read HDB MOP 2026: Should You Renovate Before Selling? before committing budget you may not recover.
Whole House Renovation Singapore Cost: The Full Package Ladder
RCS publishes 24 whole house package prices across two families and three flat sizes. Resale packages run from S$28,990 to S$41,590. BTO resale packages run from S$22,990 to S$34,990. Every price below is all-inclusive, quoted in SGD, and verified against the live RCS store on 28 July 2026.
Whole House Resale Package Prices
Resale packages target older flats needing full stripping. They cost more than BTO resale packages because existing condition demands more removal, more making good, and more remedial plumbing. The range spans S$28,990 to S$41,590 across 3-room, 4-room and 5-room flats.
| Flat type | Tier | Vinyl overlay | With hacking | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-room | Most Popular | 28,990 | 33,990 | 5,000 |
| 3-room | Premium | 30,490 | 35,390 | 4,900 |
| 4-room | Most Popular | 30,199 | 36,990 | 6,791 |
| 4-room | Premium | 31,880 | 38,490 | 6,610 |
| 5-room | Most Popular | 31,290 | 39,990 | 8,700 |
| 5-room | Premium | 32,990 | 41,590 | 8,600 |
Detailed cost breakdowns by flat type are available in HDB Flat Whole House Renovation Cost Singapore 2026.
Whole House BTO Resale Package Prices
BTO resale packages suit flats in newer condition. Because base finishes are sound, less demolition happens, and the entry price drops by roughly S$6,000 against the equivalent resale package. The range spans S$22,990 to S$34,990.
| Flat type | Tier | Vinyl overlay | With hacking | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-room | Most Popular | 22,990 | 28,990 | 6,000 |
| 3-room | Premium | 23,990 | 29,900 | 5,910 |
| 4-room | Most Popular | 23,990 | 31,990 | 8,000 |
| 4-room | Premium | 24,990 | 32,990 | 8,000 |
| 5-room | Most Popular | 24,990 | 33,990 | 9,000 |
| 5-room | Premium | 25,990 | 34,990 | 9,000 |
The cheapest whole house entry point sits at S$22,990 for a 3-room BTO resale flat on the Most Popular tier with vinyl. Budget-focused homeowners should compare that against Cheapest Whole House Renovation Package Singapore 2026.
Why Does the Vinyl-to-Hacking Gap Widen With Flat Size?
The hacking premium scales with floor area, not with room count. A 3-room resale flat carries a S$5,000 gap. A 5-room resale flat carries S$8,700. That S$3,700 spread reflects more square metres of screed to remove, more debris to cart away, and more labour days on site.
Hacking generates weight. Removing existing tiles and screed across a 5-room flat produces substantially more debris than a 3-room unit. Disposal is charged by volume, so it is a real line item rather than a padding fee.
The pattern holds in the BTO resale family too. There the 3-room gap is S$6,000 and the 5-room gap reaches S$9,000. Larger flat, larger penalty for choosing hacking without needing it.
What Sits Inside Each Package Tier
RCS runs two tiers across both package families: Most Popular and Premium. Both cover the same scope of works across the whole flat. The difference lies in material specification and finish quality, not in which rooms get touched.
The tier gap is narrower than most homeowners expect. On a 4-room resale vinyl package, Premium costs S$31,880 against S$30,199 for Most Popular. That is S$1,681, or roughly 5.6% more, for upgraded specification throughout.
Compare that to the hacking decision on the same flat, which costs S$6,791. In other words, flooring method matters four times more to your total than the tier you pick. Homeowners routinely get this backwards.
When Does Hacking Justify the Extra Cost?
Hacking earns its premium in four situations: uneven existing floors, failed waterproofing, floor height that cannot absorb overlay, and layout changes that move walls. Outside those four, vinyl overlay delivers the same visual result for thousands less. Assess the substrate before assuming you need it.
The Existing Floor Is Uneven
Vinyl overlay follows the surface beneath it. Consequently, a dipped or humped screed telegraphs straight through the new finish. Hacking back to the slab lets the contractor lay fresh, level screed.
Waterproofing Has Failed
Water seeping into the unit below is not cosmetic. It is a liability that escalates fast, and it involves your neighbour. Overlaying a failed bathroom floor traps the fault and makes the eventual repair far more expensive.
Floor Height Cannot Absorb the Overlay
Overlay adds height. Where door clearance or existing thresholds are already tight, that added height causes binding doors and trip edges. Hacking resets the datum to the slab.
You Are Moving Walls
Layout changes expose the slab anyway. Once walls come down, overlaying around the scar makes little sense. For the structural and permit side, see Kitchen Overlay vs Hacking Singapore 2026.
When Is Vinyl Overlay the Smarter Choice?
Vinyl overlay wins when the existing floor is sound, level and dry. It saves S$4,900 to S$9,000, cuts noise and dust dramatically, and removes debris disposal from the schedule entirely. For many BTO resale flats, overlay is simply the correct engineering answer rather than a compromise.
Homeowners often assume hacking equals quality. It does not. Hacking is remedial. Where the substrate is already good, hacking spends thousands to recreate a condition you already have.
There is also a resale consideration. Overlay is reversible in a way hacking is not. A future owner can lift vinyl and start again without touching the slab.
How Long Does a Whole House Renovation Take?
Whole house renovation duration depends on scope, flat size and whether hacking is involved. Hacking adds demolition and disposal days at the front of the programme, then requires screed curing before tiling begins. Vinyl overlay skips both stages, which compresses the schedule meaningfully.
Noise-generating works also fall under HDB permitted hours, which constrains how much can happen per day. For the stage-by-stage breakdown, see How Long Does HDB Renovation Take? 2026 Timeline.
Whole House Versus Room-by-Room Renovation
Whole house packages win on coordination and warranty. Room-by-room wins on cash flow and staging. The break-even sits at roughly three rooms: below that, individual packages usually cost less; above it, the bundled package pulls ahead on both price and schedule.
Room-by-room also lets you stay in the flat. You lose one room at a time rather than all of them. For families who cannot vacate, that flexibility outweighs the coordination cost.
Where Toilet Renovation Fits Inside a Whole House Package
Toilet renovation is included in every RCS whole house package, covering hacking or overlay, waterproofing, tiling, sanitary ware installation and plumbing. Homeowners searching for toilet renovation Singapore separately should compare the standalone package price against the whole house price before deciding.
The logic is simple. If only the toilets need work, a standalone toilet package costs far less. If the kitchen and bedrooms need work too, folding the toilets into a whole house contract removes a scheduling conflict, because wet works and floor levels interact across rooms.
Waterproofing deserves particular attention. It is the one element where a shortcut creates liability with the unit below, and it is not visible once tiling covers it.
How to Choose a Renovation Company in Singapore
Choose a renovation company in Singapore on three verifiable criteria: a valid HDB Registered Renovation Contractor licence, a stage-linked payment schedule, and a written room-by-room scope. Reviews and showroom quality matter less than these three, because only these three are enforceable.
Price alone is a poor filter. An unusually low quotation usually signals an incomplete scope rather than efficiency. The gaps surface later as variation orders, after your deposit is already committed.
Company longevity helps but does not guarantee licensing. Verify the licence independently rather than trusting a logo on a website.
Three Costs Homeowners Consistently Miss
Package prices cover works inside the package scope. Three costs sit outside almost every renovation quotation in Singapore, and they surprise homeowners at the worst moment. Budget for all three before you sign anything.
Temporary Accommodation
A whole house renovation makes the flat uninhabitable. Kitchen and bathrooms go offline simultaneously. Homeowners either stay with family or rent, and neither option appears on the contractor's quotation.
Appliances and Loose Furniture
Renovation packages cover built-in works. They exclude your fridge, washing machine, hob, hood, sofa and bed. On a S$30,199 package, appliances and furniture frequently add another five figures.
Permit and Administrative Items
Renovation works in HDB flats require permits where the works fall within controlled categories. Your contractor applies on your behalf, but responsibility sits with you as the flat owner.
What HDB Requires Before Works Begin
HDB regulates renovation works in its flats through a permit system, an approved contractor scheme, and fixed permitted working hours. Only contractors registered under the HDB Renovation Contractors Scheme may carry out works requiring a permit. Confirm all current requirements with the Housing and Development Board before your contractor starts.
Structural and building-control matters fall to a separate agency. Where works touch structural elements, requirements are administered by the Building and Construction Authority.
Plumbing carries its own licensing regime. Works on the water service installation must be carried out by a licensed plumber registered with PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency. This is a separate licence from the HDB contractor licence, and homeowners frequently conflate the two.
How to Verify a Whole House Contractor Before Paying
Verify three things before money moves: the HDB Registered Renovation Contractor licence number, a payment schedule tied to completed stages, and a written scope listing every room. A contractor unwilling to supply all three in writing should not receive a deposit.
Check the Licence Number
RCS operates under HDB Licence HB-11-5877Z and holds BizSafe Level 3 certification. Any licensed contractor can supply its number on request. Cross-check it independently rather than accepting a screenshot.
The full procedure appears in HDB Licensed Contractors Singapore 2026: Full List.
Tie Payments to Stages
Deposits should never front-load the contract. Milestones belong against completed, inspectable stages. Review HDB Renovation Payment Schedule 2026: Deposits & Stages before agreeing to any figure.
Demand a Room-by-Room Scope
"Whole house" means nothing without a room list. The scope should name every room, state the works in each, and specify materials. Ambiguity becomes a variation order later.
Whole House Renovation by Estate
Package prices stay consistent across Singapore because RCS quotes on flat type and scope, not postcode. However, estate age changes which package family fits. Older estates skew towards resale packages; newer blocks skew towards BTO resale packages.
Estate-specific breakdowns are available for Toa Payoh HDB Renovation 2026: Packages & Prices, Clementi HDB Renovation 2026: Packages & Prices and Bukit Batok Renovation 2026: Packages & Real Costs.
Flat-Specific Whole House Guides
Costs shift with layout as well as flat size. A 4-room flat in one estate can carry a different scope from the same flat type elsewhere, because original fittings and wall positions differ by build era.
For flat-level detail, see 4-Room Renovation Bedok 2026, 5-Room Renovation Bedok 2026 and 4-Room HDB Renovation Ang Mo Kio.
What to Prepare Before Your Site Assessment
Bring four things to a whole house assessment: your flat type and floor area, photographs of existing floors and bathrooms, your target move-in date, and a written list of rooms you want changed. These four inputs let a contractor quote accurately rather than broadly.
Floor photographs matter most. They are what determine whether you pay the hacking premium or save it. A contractor who quotes hacking without inspecting your floors is guessing with your money.
Worked Example: Budgeting a 4-Room Resale Whole House Renovation
A 4-room resale flat on the Most Popular tier with vinyl costs S$30,199. Add appliances and furniture, and the realistic all-in figure climbs well past the package price. The table below shows how a typical total assembles, so you can pressure-test your own budget before signing.
| Item | Inside the package? | Indicative figure |
|---|---|---|
| Whole house package (vinyl) | Yes | 30,199 |
| Upgrade to Premium tier | Optional | +1,681 |
| Upgrade to hacking | Optional | +6,791 |
| Appliances and loose furniture | No | Budget separately |
| Temporary accommodation | No | Budget separately |
Read the two optional rows carefully. Selecting both Premium and hacking takes the same 4-room flat from S$30,199 to S$38,490. That is S$8,291 more, an increase of roughly 27% on the base package.
Now compare the two upgrades against each other. Premium adds S$1,681 and changes materials throughout the flat. Hacking adds S$6,791 and changes nothing you can see once the floor is laid. If your existing floor is sound, the ranking is obvious.
The same logic scales. On a 5-room resale flat, Premium costs S$1,700 more than Most Popular in the vinyl line, while hacking costs S$8,700. On a 3-room BTO resale flat, Premium adds S$1,000 while hacking adds S$6,000.
Which Package Fits Your Situation?
Match the package family to flat condition, then match the tier to budget. Newer flats with sound floors take a BTO resale package with vinyl, from S$22,990 to S$25,990. Older flats with failed floors or waterproofing take a resale package with hacking, from S$33,990 to S$41,590.
Between those two poles sit most homeowners. A resale flat with sound floors, for instance, still takes a resale package because of the stripping scope, but it takes the vinyl line at S$28,990 to S$32,990 rather than the hacking line.
A site assessment resolves the ambiguity in one visit. Guessing costs between S$4,900 and S$9,000, depending on which way you guess wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a whole house renovation cost in Singapore?
A whole house renovation costs between S$22,990 and S$41,590 through RCS packages. The lowest figure covers a 3-room BTO resale flat with vinyl overlay on the Most Popular tier. The highest covers a 5-room resale flat with hacking on the Premium tier.
Is hacking always better than vinyl overlay?
No. Hacking is a remedial method, not a quality upgrade. It is necessary when floors are uneven, waterproofing has failed, floor height is constrained, or walls are moving. Where the substrate is sound and level, vinyl overlay delivers the same finish for S$4,900 to S$9,000 less.
What is the difference between a resale package and a BTO resale package?
Resale packages cover older flats needing full stripping and remedial works. BTO resale packages cover newer flats in sound condition, where less demolition is required. The BTO resale equivalent costs roughly S$6,000 less for the same flat size and tier.
What is not included in a whole house renovation package?
Packages exclude appliances, loose furniture and temporary accommodation during works. They cover built-in works only: hacking or overlay, tiling, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, painting and cleaning. Confirm the written scope room by room before signing.
Do I need an HDB permit for a whole house renovation?
Renovation works falling within HDB's controlled categories require a permit. Your contractor normally applies on your behalf, but the flat owner carries the responsibility. Verify current requirements with HDB directly before works commence.
How much more does the Premium tier cost?
On a 4-room resale vinyl package, Premium costs S$31,880 against S$30,199 for Most Popular. That is a S$1,681 difference, or approximately 5.6%. The tier affects material specification, not which rooms are covered.
Can I renovate only some rooms instead?
Yes, and it is often the better choice. Whole house packages suit homeowners renovating most or all rooms. If only one bathroom or the kitchen needs work, a single-room package costs considerably less than a whole house contract.
Are the toilets included in a whole house package?
Yes. Every RCS whole house package covers all bathrooms in the flat, including waterproofing, tiling, sanitary ware and plumbing. Homeowners needing toilets alone should price a standalone toilet package instead.
Book a Whole House Renovation Consultation
Bring your flat type, your target move-in date and photographs of your existing floors. RCS will confirm whether your floors genuinely need hacking, or whether vinyl overlay saves you the S$4,900 to S$9,000 difference. That assessment happens before any figure is committed, not after.
Compare the full range starting at the 3-room Whole House BTO Resale Package from S$22,990, then speak to the RCS team about your specific unit.
Disclaimer
All package prices stated were verified against the RCS online store on 28 July 2026 and are subject to change. Final pricing depends on site conditions, measured scope and material selection confirmed after a site assessment. HDB renovation rules, permit categories, plumbing licensing requirements and submission procedures are set by the relevant Singapore authorities and may be revised. Verify current requirements with HDB, BCA and PUB directly. This article provides general guidance and does not constitute a quotation or a contract.
Renovation Contractor Singapore (RCS) — HDB Licence HB-11-5877Z, BizSafe Level 3. Editorial production and search strategy by SingRank.
